By: RiverDogs Media
North Augusta, SC – The Charleston RiverDogs led by two when the bottom of the sixth began, but the Augusta GreenJackets scored the game’s final four runs to escape with a 4-2 win on Friday night at SRP Park. The RiverDogs lead in the South Division has slipped to just 1.5 games over the Columbia Fireflies who have won eight consecutive games.
The RiverDogs (28-18, 74-38) scored the game’s first two runs against GreenJackets starter Luis Vargas. Kenny Piper worked a walk with one out in the third inning and advanced to second on a pitch in the dirt. Nathan Perry brought him in with a single through the right side that gave the RiverDogs a 1-0 advantage. Shane Sasaki opened the sixth inning with a double down the left field line and scored on Junior Caminero’s groundball to third to make it 2-0.
JJ Goss was brilliant through 5.0 innings, holding Augusta (22-23, 57-54) to three singles and no runs. However, he walked Mahki Backstrom to begin the sixth and Stephen Paolini quickly changed the game by lining a triple into the right field corner. A wild pitch by Goss in the next at-bat scored Paolini from third, tying the game. Goss struck out seven while allowing two runs in 5.2 innings.
Augusta took the lead in the seventh when Justin Janas poked a double to left to start the stanza. He moved to third on a wild pitch from new RiverDogs pitcher Sean Harney, who followed with a free pass to Kevin Kilpatrick. Francisco Floyd rolled into a 4-6-3 double play, but a run scored to give the GreenJackets a 3-2 advantage. In the eighth, the RiverDogs committed a series of miscues on a lineout by Paolini to first that allowed Kadon Morton to score from second.
Harney took the loss, allowing one run on one hit in 1.1 innings in his debut. Kamron Fields allowed just an unearned run in the eighth.
Augusta was led by the two hits of Janas. The RiverDogs received a pair of singles from Carson Williams. Willy Vasquez extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single in the sixth.
The RiverDogs will try to get back in the win column on Saturday night. LHP Antonio Jimenez (9-4, 3.41) will start the game on the mound for the RiverDogs. RHP Rainiery Rodriguez (2-3, 5.72) will be on the hill for Augusta. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.
Single-game tickets are available for all RiverDogs home games at riverdogs.com. RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are available at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS).
